'Resident Doctors' Strike Shameful' - Federal Government

The ongoing strike by resident doctors as a shame to the nation, the Federal Government said on Tuesday, calling on doctors currently on strike in the nation’s teaching hospitals to negotiate their terms.

The Minister of Health, Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu, stated this during the inauguration of foreign medical graduates who were successful in the assessment examination conducted between October 2 and 4 by the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria.

Onyebuchi, who was represented by the Director, Hospital Services in the ministry, Dr. Patience Osinubi, warned the newly inducted doctors to be conversant with the consequences of disobedience to the oaths they took.
Chukwu said, “The sanctity of the health sector in Nigeria is not negotiable. Negotiation is all about give and take. They should have negotiated rather than demanding.”
Chukwu, who charged them to contribute their quota to the development of the health sector, enjoined them to take their oath seriously.
Reminding the doctors that the people who die when they are on an industrial action are human beings, Chukwu said the FG would soon start taking drastic actions against those who are not taking this oath seriously.
He said, “You are being watched. This is a warning to you all. As leaders in healthcare, you must keep to this oath. It is shameful that our senior colleagues who we call resident doctors have been on strike for a month now.”
Calling on the inductees to imbibe professionalism, Chukwu charged them to master their various areas of specialisation with a view to curbing the spate of medical tourism by Nigerians, especially to Indian hospitals.


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